Early

Journal Content on JSTOR, Free to Anyone in the World

This article is one of nearly 500,000 scholarly works digitized and made freely available to everyone in
the world by JSTOR.
Known as the Early Journal Content, this set of works include research articles, news, letters, and other
writings published in more than 200 of the oldest leading academic journals. The works date from the
mid-seventeenth to the early twentieth centuries.
We encourage people to read and share the Early Journal Content openly and to tell others that this
resource exists. People may post this content online or redistribute in any way for non-commercial
purposes.
Read more about Early Journal Content at http://about.jstor.org/participate-jstor/individuals/early-
journal-content.








JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary source objects. JSTOR helps people
discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content through a powerful research and teaching
platform, and preserves this content for future generations. JSTOR is part of ITHAKA, a not-for-profit
organization that also includes Ithaka S+R and Portico. For more information about JSTOR, please
contact support@jstor.org.

37

? UT. IV.?On
Buddhist
S?rn?th,

of the
Chaityas and Inscriptions
the
the
ruins
of
Temple of
religioits dogma, found in
near Benares.
F.ll.S.
Lieut.-Col.
Sykes,
By
the Miniature

In a lottor received on the 1st March

in antiquarian

under

researches

last from Major Kittoe, engaged

the Bengal

informed

he

Government,

mo that in oxcavating tho mound constituting tho ruin of the great

Buddhist templo of S?rn?th at Bonarcs, ho had turned up some scores
of miniaturo ohaityas in baked clay, the base of many of them being
impressed with an inscription in the early Deva N?gar? characters in
a seal

Some

form.

tho

of

broken

being

chaityas

at

transversely

tho

base, it was found that an independent seal with an inscription, not in

intaglio, but in cameo, was enclosed in tho base ;and that the seal was
first prepared and hardened, and the chaitya then fashioned round it
while tho clay was plastic, was manifest by the raised letters of the
seal having imbedded themselves in tho clay, and leaving fac-similes
of their forms. Major Kittoe readily discovered that the seals or
stamps comprised the Buddhist religious dogma, or confession of faith,
"

Yo

dhama,"
and

Sanskrit,

"

&c.

or

ho

refers

<kc, as

Yedharma,"
their

dato

from

to bo

it happened
form of

the

or

in Pali

the Deva

Nagari

letters to the early part of tho cloventh century; but why these chaityas,
tho first of tho kind met with, stamped with the confession of faith,
or

a seal with

containing
of

discovery
as there

is now
chaityas
certain
circumstances

in

tho

aro

in relief

the dogma

letters

it, should

upon

tho temple, Major Kittoe does not discuss.

been lodged within

antiquarian
connected

in

research
this

with

have

As the

India,
confession

and
of

faith boing met with in d ifi?rent parts of India in mongrel Sanskrit,

I have thought that a drawing of a chaitya and of the enclosed seal,
together

acceptable
(No.

with

few

remarks

tho

upon

confession

of

faith,

for reference in tho Journal of the Society.

1, Plato

I.,)

ono

represents

of

the

chaityas

of

might

bo

Tho drawing
tho

natural

size

in baked clay of a brick-red ; the form is that of the chaityas

or d?gopas which exist in tho Buddhist rock-cut temples of Western
India, and though thero are slight variations in the outlino in
somo of the specimens from S?rn?th, and in tho apex,
they are
nevertheless,

substantially,

but

the

miniature

representations

of

tho

great topes of which Fa Hian and Hiuen Teang speak, some of

them 700 feet high ; and of the great existing relic temples at
Rangoon (above 400 feet high) and Pegu, and of the ancient S?nch?

MINIATURE CHAITYAS.

38

tope, still existing in M?lw?.

Chaitya and Ddgopa, in their sig
mean
tho
nification,
receptacle or holding-placo of a sacred relic,
and in this practice of preserving the remains of sanctified persons,
tho original of the existing Roman Catholic practice is pourtrayed.
Drawing No. 2 (Plate I.) represents a transverso section of drawing
No. 1, near to the base, showing the seal with its confession of faith
in relief letters imbedded. As this religious dogma has only yet
been met with in impure Sanskrit, and of a date not anterior pro
a
bably to tho soventh or eighth centuries of our era, question might
bo

raised

whether

tho

of faith,

confession

is so obsouro

which

and

mys

tical, could bo cooval with the propagation of the doctrine of Buddha,

when it would have been recorded in Pali, and whether it did not owo
its origin to the polemical disputations and heterodoxy into which tho
Buddhists fell in tho early centuries of the Christian era, and havo
been

adopted

as a

test

tho

by

orthodox

to determine

were

who

schis

matics.
Tho first time, I believe, tho confession of faith was brought
to notico, was through the instrumentality of Mr. Stcphenson, who in
1834, near to tho village of Bakhra, in Tirhut, bought from a Hindu
fakir, a mutilated
image covered with clay and coloured ochro, and
on cleaning the image it was found to bo a well-sculptured figure, in
red

sandstone,

an

with

of Buddha,

on

inscription

Mr.

its base.

James

Prinscp gave an account of this imago on tho 15th January, 1835, to tho
Asiatic Society of Bengal,1 and he stated that tho inscription caused
somo

interest,

as none

of the

images

in the musoum,

of Buddha

whether

from Benares or, the Bhagalpur Hills, had any similar characteristic.
While
this inscription was under examination by Mr. Prinsep, Lieut.
a fac-simile of an inscription
Cunningham sent to him from Benares
on a slab which ho had found 10? feet under the surface, in oxcuvating
the

Siirmitli

tope

at

Benares.

Somo

of

tho

letters

were

evidently

similar to thoso of tho inscriptions on tho Allahabad Pillar, No. 2,

as much from
[of the eighth century ?] and though tho whole differed
as
tho Bon
from
tho Dova N?gar?
tho Tirhut image form of letters
Mr.
his
with
accustomed
intuitiveness,
Prinscp was
g?l? alphabet, yet
led

to believe

they

were

tho fact. Tho Tirh?t

synonymous

substantially

tho samo,

and

tho

result

proved

inscription diflorcd only in tho substitution of two

words,

tho

of

transposition

two

others,

and

tho

entirely
"
"
"
omission of the particle
hi," for,1' united to avadat:" tho result was
"
and readings will bo
various
forms
the Yo dharina/'&c, of which the
Mr.
At
this
Prinscp did not know that
period,
given subsequently.
the inscription was a religious Buddhist dogma, but ho suspected it ;
he therefore wrote to M. Csoma de K?r?s, whoso oxtonsive Thibetan
1 Journal

Ab. Soc. of Bengal,

IV,

131.

A/thtaluw

C/uu?/a

i/? fmr/cjivm

t/u./f//s/M/.U

^' '

f
7?/w a? Sc?it/i/A.

..AfaUuvU .Vue.

TnuusyrwesJecfmi

o/'?M

Aftn?ilaw

ntart/ieahw,

?uulya,
2

i?a????ilr
W?B?Nk
va:
,"i_li>it^0ns-..

uvM /At

im?o/jM.*

fa'/.

CHAITYAS.

MINIATURE

39

readings inBuddhist polemics would probably enable him to pronounco

an opinion upon it. At first M. Csoma did not recognise it, but a
search enabled him to discover it in tho three volumes of the Kah-gyur
collection, being in Thibetan characters; and in the corresponding
Sanskrit

in modern

originals

these

it was

instances
at

paragraph
indicating
tion, Mr.

tho

to

found

to

led

further

brought to light.

But

to somo

relation

as

occur

to the world

known

made

N?gar?,

a volume.

of

end

its having
was
Csoma

Dcva

fifteen examples were

by Mr. B. Hodgson,

as

other

or

peroration,
there was

matter

and

and

inquiry,

tho dogma in Thibetan in connexion with

but in Thibetan characters ; the whole was,

he

In all

concluding

an
wanting

ambiguity
a solu
found

fortunately

its transcript in Sanskrit,

Yo dharm? h?tu prabhavu, bet?n t?sh?n Tath?gat? hyavadat,

Tosh?n cha yo nirodha ?vam v?di Malui Slmunanah.
Sar va p?pasynkarani
[1 am] kuslialasyopasapradain,
Sva chittam
otad Buddhtinush?sanum.
paridamanam,
Whatever

moral

some

from

arise

actions

[or human]

Tho cause of them has been declared by Tath?gata

What
is tho check to these actions
Is thus

set

forth

tho great

by

cause,

Shramanah,

No vice is to bo committed;
virtue must
bo
Every
practised
perfectly
bo
Tho mind must
under
entire
brought
This
is tho commandment
of Buddha.

Tho
Sanskrit
Dr.

text of tho last part was not met with

in Thibetan
Mill's

exstant

officia

in Sanskrit, and the

some

error.

i?i~caiiH?-quavis-origh\Qm-habentia

Causam eorum sic-phofectus

quod
Eorumque
Ita quoque

apparently

subjection

:?

was

version

i(
Qiunqu

has

characters

Ule [Buddhas] quidem declaravit,

obstaculum
maonus

dicons

exstat,
asckticus.

ronunciatio,

Oinnis-peccati
Sanctitatis

prefectos,
intcllcctus

Propriisubjugatio,
est BuDDii/E-disoiplina."
Hieo

Mr. Priusep adds, that Dr. Mill's reading was confirmed by the
Cingalese Christian convert llatua Pala, who repeated tho whole from
Pali from memory, and said that it formed part of the Buddhist
daily
service in Ceylon.
But ho gave " upusampadii"
[profectus] in tho
plural, and in the dogma he omitted "hi." and instead of tho verb
"

"

avadat

or

li

uvaeha,"

he

read

"

aha."

In Pali

it was,

MINIATURE

40
"

CHAPITAS.

Ye dkamm? hetuppabhav?, Tesan hetun tath?gat?

Aba tesan chayo nirodha: Evan v?d? mah? samana,
akaranan
p?passa
chitta
paridamanan

: kusalassa

Sabba
Sa

upasan pad ? :
Buddh?nus?sanan."

: Etan

In Western
India the dogma had not been met with until Dr.
James Bird, of Bombay, excavated a tumulus at Salsctte, at tho cele
brated Buddhist rook excavations at Kanari.
Ho found a gold caso
a silver

and

case

with

stonos,

precious

the

containing

evidently

exuvioo

of some holy or respected personage, and above the cases he discovered

a copper plate with two
inscriptions, one in the Lath character, the
other in the character in front of one of tho caves at Adjunta and not
antique, but from the square hollow heads to tho letters evidontly of
tho Cbattisgurh typo ; in the latter part of this inscription was the
Buddhist

confession

of faith,

ters were

not of the L?th

No. 3, Plato II.)
Yo

dbarma

tesh?ucha

lietti

nirodha

yo
"Whatever

tho great

these,

former

Maha

acts

wlioro

instances,

in ungrammatical
hetu

tesham

prabhava,
ovam
vudi

of

substitution

of goldon

tho Pali

suvacha

Tathagata

Suvana.
from

proceed

of

causo,

origin

has

also

theso

word

Suvana

the

of

demonstrated."

Tho only difference botweon this and tho Tirhut

the

the charac

Sanskrit.1?(See

has declared ; tho opposing principio

[Buddha]

ono

in

type,

meritorious

sourco Tathagata

as

inscriptions is in

for Sramana.

in his Ariana Antiqua, has an engraving of a seal

Professor Wilson,
in black earthenware, found in Afghanistan by Mr. Masson. This seal
bears

it an

upon

inscription

carelessly

and

blunderingly

written

in

letters of tho seventh century, and which tho

quasi Pali,
tobe
tho Buddhist sacred formula; and ho trans
professor pronounces
in Nagari

it :?

lates

"

are the
Tho Tathagata
[Buddha] has declared the causes which
origin of moral merit: what is its obstruction also tho great writor has
explained."2

In this inscription, professing to bo Pali, is seen tho compound

letter pr, of tho Sanskrit, and which the L?th or Pali alphabot could
not express ; but the usual Sanskrit word dhanna, which is in tho
other

inscription,

With
1

tho professor

roads

dhamma.

respect to this inscription, however,

llistonen

1Researches

on (bo Origin mu? Principien

p. ?M.
p. 61.

ltcligions,
by Dr. Jan.es Birtl,
5Wilson's
Ariaua Antiqua,

I had impressions taken

of tho Dnuddbu

und Juina

41

MINIATURE CHAITYAS.

from it in various substauces, and of these Mr. Dowson, who was good
enough
"

to examine
I have

them,

mo

gives

compared

carefully

account.
following
different
impressions

the

the

of

the

seal,

and have made a copy of the inscription after collating the whole of
them. The result quito answers my anticipations, as I find that the
correot

more

much

agrees

reading

with

closely

other

the

of

versions

tho dogma, than tho reading given in tho Ariana Antiqua.

My copy
of tho legend differs in sovcral respects from that in the Ariana
Antiqua: as instances of tho differences, compare tho last letter in tho
first lino and tho fourth and fifth in tho second.?(Sec No. 1, Plato II.)
I find also from tho impressions what is not shown in the engraving,
viz., that tho vowel
on the
right hand

a
side

a small
is properly
represented
by
of tho consonant,
in tho
exactly

mark

vertical
same

manner

as it is written on your chaityas.

The letter o is represented by a
similar mark on tho left sido of the consonant, and the letter o by a
mark on each side. The literal rendering of the whole, line for line as
it stands, is
Ya dharma hatu
prabhav? hatum tcsha ta
te sha
praha
ova v?d?

th?gata
nirodha

yo

samana.

imilla
This,

cha

is very
unless
; and,
imperfect
is unintelligible.
The
you
impressions
tho seal
is in such fino preservation,

the

however,

supplied,
and
good,
that

likely
theso medial

tho necessary
and the
vowels

tho

great
obliterated.

sidering
beconio

anuswaras

of

ago
Tho

the

aro

and

vowels

lines.
the

1 think,
effects
of

therefore,
or
timo

may
very
anuswaras

tho

wo
the

I do

inscribed

may

vowels

not

upon
in size,

be
are

so

think

it

to mo

it ; still
that con

possibly
are
which

have
de

changing or diverting

ficient may bo added to the inscription without

any of tho
thus
remedy

sent

so minute

somo

seal,

that

ever

were

vowels

all

proper

have

insert

fairly

negligenco

of

tho

them,

and

engraver?

tho perfect inscription will thon read,

Ye dharm? hetu-prabhav?
Hetun

teshan

tath?gata

praha

Tesh?n cha yo nirodha

Evam v?di Maha Samaua
This
uvdcha,

approaches
"
said,

t?ramana,

very

declared,"
The
i?amana.

closely
wo

to

tho

have

conjunct

here
;

[as

other

: for
versions
"
proclaimed;"

pr?ha,
in the word

prabhav?

avadat

or

and

for

so clear
| is

and so deeply cut that it cannot have been obliterated from the seal.

42

MINIATURE CHAITYAS.

1 am disposed, however, to attribute tho absence of this and of the medial

vowels to the negligenco or ignorance of the engraver.
Two visargas
arc

also

to make

required

tho word

tho

tho

tathagata,

other

reading
grammatical,
at tho end of Samaua,

ono

at

the

which

ond

of

should

be

respectively tath?gatah and Sramanah; there is no trace of the former,

but there aro somo marks on the seal which may bo intended for tho
latter. The language is Sanskrit, and tho word Samaua is tho only
one which is Pali; instead therefore of tho languago being barbarous
Tho whole engraving
Pali, it is really faulty ill-written Sanskrit.
being just such a work as might bo expected from an artist who was
unacquainted with tho language of the copy placed in his hands."
Two other copies of tho dogma wero sont in April 1836, from
Btmuuh, by Colonel Buruey, to tho Asiatic Society of Bengal.1 They
were

two

upon

impressed

tcrra-cotta

of Gautama,

images

woro

which

by Captain Haiinay from Tagoung, the ancient capital of

Burmah, situated on tho banks of tho Irawaddy about 100 miles from
A va. Colonel Burncy suspected the inscriptions to bo thoYo dliamina,
obtained

and

his

wero

conjectures

confirmed

by Mr.

who

Prinscp,

pronounced

them to consist of tho Buddhist dogma, written howovcr in M?gadhi

or Pali. A drawing of one of tho images with a facsimile of tho
was
but
inscription
published,
was
No.
6, Plate
given.?(See
?
of it :
ing notice

no
II.)

transcription
Mr. Dowson

into Roman
mo

gives

characters
tho

follow

"

The inscription on tho image from Tagoung is Pali, and agrees

with Ratna PiiFs M?gadhi Prakrit version. My reading is,
1. Ye dham? hetu-pabhav?
Tesh?|m] hetu[nj tath?gat? [?]
2. Tesh?[n] cha yo nirodha
v?di

Eva[m]

Maha-samaua.

verb at the end of tho first lino I canuot satisfactorily deci

"
aha," but I do not think this is
pher. Ratna PiiFs version gives

The

but

distinct,

however

tho

chaityas

sense.
of
and

liko

This
this
the

is nowhero
transcription,
reads
version

inscription
seal, and may

vowels

in this

written?I

havo

The

uv?oha.

anuswara
in my

in brackets

grammatical
The
characters
clay

inoro

looks

the word?it
all

aro

inserted

it

as

for making
it is necessary
Samaua.
not Mah?
Malm

aro moro
bo

vorsion

than

modern

referred

to

tho

thoso
tenth

of

tho

century,

as they hold a position botweon tho Tibetan form of tho seventh

of tho eleventh.
They cl?soly resomblo the
century and the Bengali
forms of the Kutila inscription from Barcilly, dated 992."
1 Journal

of As.

Soc.

of Bengal,

Vol.

V.,

p. 157.

4!}

MINIATURE CHAITYAS.

With respect to tho inscription on tho seals in the numerous minia

ture chaityas sent by Major Kittoe, I append tho notes with which
and Mr.

Norris

Mr.

have

Dowson

been

good

to favour

enough

me.

Mr. Norris says, "tho last impression you scut to mo is quite legible,
and confirms tho conjecture I formed on tho imperfect seal you first
to mo,

scut

and

on

aro

in any

letters

three

aro

perpendicular
"
Mr. Dowson

in my
Tho

imperfect.

degree

note

former

; only
is Sanskrit,

languago

I should suppose of tho eighth or ninth century, but

and tho alphabet

tho vowels

I commented

which

unusually
lino over

? for

made?tho
the

examplo

shown

boing

by

letter."

says?

"

The reading of the clay impression on tho seal in tho chaitya,

is as follows :
Yo dharma hctu pra
bhav? het[un] tesh[?n] tath?
[ga] to hyavadat tesh?[n] cha
[yo] nirodha evam v?di
mah?
is

Tho

Sanskrit
clearly
distinct.
Tho
quito

inscription
2>ra. and sra aro
almost

with

identical

that tho
being
the
impression

on

the

joins
orthography)
ference
tho
between
of

dharma
are

consonants,
aro
ings

of

thoso
reads

latter

the

vowol8

Sramana.

two,

two

with

teshdm,

distinct

in accordance
(more
a double
tt.
There

seal

making
and
Csoma's

clay
and prabhav?,
on tho
invisible

tho

clay,
Characters?seventh

identical.

for the compounds

Pali,
are
and tho inscription
tho chief
difference
slab,

characters

the S?rn?th

avadat

chaitya

not

and

Tibetan

Cs, while

with

Sanskrit

is no

version.

real

dif

The

long
of Sramanah,
and
three
v?sarga
if these
but
bo supplied,
tho read
to ninth
century.?(See

No. 2, Plato II.)

To

Mr.
Dowson
comparison,
a few obscrvatious
in sequence,
with
:?
do K?r?s's
version
Sanskrit

facilitate

readings
Csoma
Yo

dharni?

Tcsh?n

cha

hotu
yo

h?tiin

prabhav?,
nirodha,

evam

has

tesh?n

v?d? Mah?

arranged
their

upou

Tath?gato
Shramanah.

the

various

differences.

hyavadat,

llatna P?la'a P?li or Prakrit vorsion :?

Ye dhamm? hetuppabhav?, Tesan bet?n tath?gato
Aba,
Pali

tesan

version,

cha

yo

in Mr.

nirodha,

Evam

Spcnco

Hardy's

v?di mah?
Manual

samana
of Buddhism

:-?

44

MINIATURE
Ye dliamma h?tuppabhaw?,
Alia

cha

y?san

Gn tue

y?san h?tun Tath?gat?,

owan

nirodho',

yo

CHAITYAS,

S?rn?tii

wadi

Maha

Samano.1

II., No. 5.)

Slab.?(Plato

Ye dbarin? hetu-prabhava bet?n tcsluin tath?gat? hyavadat

Tesh?u cha yo nirodha evam v?di Maha Sramauah.
the

On

Tirhut

II., No.

Image.?(Plato

4.)

Yo dharinin? hetu prabhav? tcsli?m hctiim tathagata [u]v?cha

cha

Tesh?n

ovam

nirodha

yo

Copper

Kanari

v?di

Maha
as

Plate,

Samanah.

read

by

Bird.

Dr,

(Plate II., No. 3.)

Ye d harm a hetu prabhava tesham hetu Tathagata
cha yo

evam

nirodha
on

Inscription

Black
by

read

As

vadi

Maha

Earthenware

Professor

suv?cha tesh?u

Suvana.2
Seal

Wilson,

(Ariana

from

Afghanistan.

Antiqua,

p. 51.)

Yo dhamma hetu prabhavo hetuh saba tathagata hy?ha

Tassa
As

read

cha

ova

nirodha

yo

by Mr.

Dowson

v?di

cha

yo

1.)

bet?n tesh?n tathagata pr?ha

evam

nirodha

Samano.3

II., No.

:?(Plate

Yo dharm? hetu-prabhav?
Tesh?n

Maha

v?di

Maha

Sa?n a na.

On Image from

II., No. 6.)

Tagoung.?(Plato
?. Yo dham? bet?n - pabhav? Tcsh?fm] hotu[m] tath?gat?,
2. Tcsh?[n] cha yo nirodha eva[m] v?di Maha Samana.
Reading

of

the

Clay

on

the

(Plato II., No.

2.)

Impression

Ye dharma hetu-prabhav?
Tesh?n

cha yo

nirodha

seal

in the

.. .

[?]

Chaitya.

hotun tesh?n tath?gat? hyavadat,

ovam

v?di

Mah?

Sranuma.

from somo causo;

"All
Translation:?
this cnuso lins been
tilings proceed
all tilings will ceaso to exist ; tins is what is declared
by tbe Tathagata;
of Budhisin,
[Buddha.]"?
Hardy's Manual
p. \i)0.
by the Maha Samana
2 Thus translated : -"Whatever
acts proceed from cause, of those
meritorious
bas declared ; tbe opposing
tbe source Tathagata
[Buddha]
principio of these, the
one of golden origin has also demonstrated."?Bird's
p. 6*4.
great
Researches,
8 Thus translated
:?" The Tathitgata
has declared the causes which
[Buddha]
are the origin of moral merit.
is its obstruction,
What
also, the great ascetic has

declared

explained."

n
M?nele

.J'lW' l'ivfii.

,U<(1

i'la?/

//lif/ia/ii.fftm.

in ('halft/<i>.

}^%^&?<_iq?

Ah/?/tH

Cvpfu r ri(Uc.

Tii'lud

Im<ut*\

Smnath

Mal*.

^^l?f^l'M^^^

i'l .-?/iii'i.-?i?....

...^

Hit_^__iU?_^jL_A

'/kf/ONtUf lltUtf/i'.

?e.t?ot> o'j ->v o o o o o o

//,

MINIATUHB CHAITYAS.

45

"The S?rn?th slab was originally road by James Prinsep and Dr.
Mill: *Ayam dliarma hetu prabhavo,' in the singular, instead of (Yc
in the plural.
dharmm? hetu prabhav?/
But, upon receiving tho
correct form, Dr. Mill found that this might be read in accordance
with it.
"The Tirhut image inscription agrees, with ono or two trifling
excoptions; tho chief difforenco being tho employment of uv?cha
or Imperfect.
[second Preterite], for avadat, tho first Pretorito
"The inscription on Dr. Bird's Kanari plate is Sanskrit, but I
cannot coincido in his reading, particularly in tho last word rluvana
for Suvarna, "gold."
Tho initial letter of tho word in tho inscription
is tho palatal

8 1J, but suvarna is properly written with

the dental

sibilant Jj. Tho first character seems to bo sr, for the tail of tho
letter ismoro curved than would bo tho caso if it were su; and indeed
if the analogy of tho conjunct u in hetu bo applicable to tho letter s,
tho

be

should

tail

turned

up

the

othor

way,

on

i.e.,

tho

not

and

right

on tho left side. Tho whole word reads Sravana, the v being
probably
a mistako for m. The words which tho learnod Doctor reads Tatha
gata

are

mv?cha,
a

be

may
with

way
blundering
or iva added."

cha

or

bhuvecha

Tath?gato

literally

difficult to understand exactly what

this last word

of writing

or of

uv?cha,

but

bhuveva,

it

is

is intended for?it
its variant

?che,

It might have been expected that a confessio fidei would have had
a stereotyped character; and as it is in every Buddhist's mouth, as
mentioned by Mr. B. Hodgson,1 a doviation could scarcely have been
it was

for when

looked
bo

in verbal

inscribed,

whatover

repetitions

inaccuracies

no

; nevertheless,

two

of

the

there
inscriptions

might
are

oxactly aliko; they aro written neither in pure Pali nor good Sanskrit,
and not one of them, from the forms of tho Deva Nagari letters used,
would

appear

to

to tho

bo anterior

seventh

These

century.

conside

rations might have sanctioned tho belief or at least the suspicion that
the dogma had its origin at a period long posterior to the promulga
tion of the Buddhist faith, when heterodoxy was spreading and it was
to

necessary

havo

test

of a Buddhist's

orthodoxy.

If, however,

tho

Legends of Buddha, published by the ltcv. Mr. Hardy, tho Ceylon

missionary, from Cingalese authorities, in his remarkable work, tho
Manual of Buddhism, have any foundation in fact, this test of ortho
doxy
follows

was

contemporaneous

with

Buddha

himself.

:?
4

Journal

Bengal

As. Soc.

vol.

IV.

p. 211.

The

legend

is as

MINIATUU1. CHAITYAS.

AG
TifR

Two

of

Discipi.fs

Principal

and

Sbriryut

Bumia,

M?QAIiAN.
"

There

wero

two

Brahman

and

K?lita

villages,

not

Upatissa,

far

from Rajagaha, in which two families resided who had been upon
terms of intimacy during seven generations ; and now each of thcso
families had a prince, called by tho samo names as their village,
and

Ko'lita
the

latter

Upatissa.
of 500
golden

Tho

had

former

palanquilla.

a retinue

They

woro

of 500
equally

and

chariots,
clover

; they

sought tho samo amusements ; what the ono did tho othor did ; and
thus they were intimately united. But they thought that there could
be no release from birth whilst they pursued their pleasuros, and that
therefore it behoved them to discontinue their pursuits, and seek
Nirwana.
Tho question theu arose as to what place they should go.
Thero was at this timo in Rajagaha a famous paribr?j ika called Sanga.
To him they wont, and they remained with him some timo, but ho was
unable to show them tho paths. After this they went through all
Jambudwipa,

asking

in every

questions

no

but

place,

ono was

ablo

to

answer them. In this way they went through tho 63,000 kingdoms,
It was agreed that if ono found a
and thon returned to Rajngaha.
teacher
competent
now
was
Budha

ho was

to

at Wcluwana.

tell

the

othor.

When

Tho
tho

rosidonco

priest,

Assaji,

of Gotania
had

pro

that a Budha had appeared, he

claimed through all Jambudwipa
tho
noxt
to
and
returned
Rajagaha,
day went with his bowl to re
alms.

ceive
who

greatly

from placo
In
passing
his appearance,
admired

to

seen
ho was
placo,
by Upatissa,
and
invited
him to go and par

"
take of food. Whilst they wero together, Upatissa said : From what
I have soen of your deportment, I infer that you aro acquainted with
tell me, who was your teacher?" When tho
tho path to Nirwana;
was
he enquired what where his doctrines ;
that
it
said
Budha,
priest
but tho priest, under the supposition that tho paribrajika was opposed
"
to Budha, replied : I am only a young disciple, the dharmma is deep;
informed him that ho
how then, can I toll you ?" Thon Upatissa
need notgivo himself much trouble; if he only gave him a littlo infor
mation upon tho subject, ho could draw from it a hundred or a thou
sand inferences. Tho priest, in reply, repeated tho following g?t? :?
" Yo

dhamma hetuppabhawa,
Y?san h?tun Tath?gato
Aha, y?san cha yo nir?dho,
Ewan

"

All

wad?

Maha

Samano."

things proceed from some causo; this causo has beon declared

47

MINIATURE CHAITYAS.
all things will

by Tatli?gata;
declared

the Malta

by

"

Sramana

[Budha],"

On a subsequent night all the priests assembled

Budha repeated to thorn tho following g?t? :?
Sabba

akaranan

papassa

Kusalassa
Sa

is

this is that which

cease to exist:

together, when

;
;

upasampad?

chitta

pariyodapanan;
Buddh?nus?sauan.

Etau

"

This is tho advico of the Bildhaft ; avoid all demerit ; obtain all
morit ; cleanse tho mind from all ovil desire." This constitutes tho
cal Id Pratimoksha.1

discourso

Hence then it would appear to bo a dogma of tho earliest date, but

why it should not have appeared amidst the thousands of Pali inscrip
tions

in

multitudinous

tho

from

and

Ceylon,
of tho

rock-excavations

inscribed

from

dogmas

seventh century, tho probabilities are against

none

anterior

to the

its antiquity.

It now

wcro
remains
to ask, with
what
object
only
an enclosed
an
with
seal
inscription
bearing
or with
at tho bottom
tho confession
stamped

chaityas,
of faith,

lodged in tho Buddhist

It has
in fact

been

lingua,

suggested
and that

to

tho Himalayas
as
And

to Girn?r,
is unaccountable.
are
of a date
in a character

Cuttack

these
of

miniature

a confession

of

tho

chaitya

temple of S?rn?th.
from
their

tho

of

form

tho

appearance

that

chaityas,
tho ruins

in

they
S?rn?th

of

were
was

indicativo of tho religious change which was taking place in the super
session of tho worship of Buddha by that of Siva ; but the enclosed
seal with its Buddhist formula sets that question entirely at rest. It
to mo

appears
thoso

from
with

chaityas

in

analogies
their enclosed

Roman

tho

were

dogma,

Church

Catholic
in fact

"ex

or disease,
vows
in cases
of accident,
the Catholic,
distress,
a broken
as an
arm
a wax
to
of
form
tho
offering
Virgin,
a
or
an
of
from
tho
bed
of
disease
accident,
painting
rising
a
Buddhist
to devote
its dogma
vowed
with
enclosed,
chaitya

lical of a tomb with

that

votos."

As

to devoto
or

a
leg,
; so tho
symbo

a sacred relic, to tho temple of Buddha.

This

also the numerous

little
tho great
around
explain
being
chaityas
wo
can
at Rangoon
and
Ono
conclusion
temples
Pegu.
satisfactory
at
least como
that
tho
and
this
of
to,
inscription
promulgation
dogma,

may

in difierent parts of India, as late as the

early part of the tenth
increases

century,

Buddhism
Tsang,

our

in

confidence

in India, by the Chinese

in tho

fifth

and

soventh

1
Hardy's

the

accounts

centuries.

Manual

of

tho

travellers Fa Hian

of Budhism,

p. 195.

extent

of

and Hiuen

MINIATUIUS CHAITYAS.

48

Since the above paper was read to tho Society, Mr. Dowson has
been good enough to call my attention to other instances of tho occur
rence of the dogma extending as far east aa Keddah and .Java. It will
be desirable to givo somo account of thorn. Tho first, which was
found in Java by Mr. Crawfurd, is noticed by Burnouf, in his Intro
duction ? l'Histoire du Buddhism?,1 as follows :
veux

"Je

parler

do

on

l'inscription

caract?res

traoco

d?vanftgoris,

sur le dos d'une statuette de bronze repr?sentant un Buddha, laquelle

a ?t? trouv? aupr?s do Brambanan par Crawfurd.
[Hist, of tho Ind.
Cette
vol.
212,
II, p.
inscription n'est autre
pi. xxxi.)
Archipolago,
chose quo la c?l?bre formule philosophique: Ye dharma h?tu prabhav?h,
etc., qui se lit sur la base et sur les dos d'un si grand nombre do sta
tuettes buddhique8 d?couvertes dans l'Inde. Cetto formulo est r?dig?e
et non

en Sanscrit,

ce

on P?li;

prouve

qui

ou

la statue,

que

lo modelo

a ?t? ox?cut?e, vient du continent indion, et non do

d'apr?s lequel ello
?tait
originaire de cette ?le, la formule serait indubita
Ceylan; si elle
en
De cetto inscription et do quelques autres
P?li.
?crite
blement
do

monuments

co

genre,

mais

cite,

qu'il

ne

qu'il

Craw

pas,

reproduit

furd croit pouvoir conclure quo los Indiens qui l'ont trac?o venaient
des

do

provinces
ne

inscription

moderne,

d?van?gari

XIIIo

qui

La

occidontalo.

no pont

des

formo

ctro

gu?re

do

sou

c'est

un

lettres

cotto

favoriser

pas

conjecture;
au
ant?rieur

Si

reconnaissablcs.
elle

vient

cetto

?criture

d'uno

certainement

province

n'est

pas

voisine,

au

ou

XIIo

si?cle do notro ?ro, ot qui aflccto dos formes Bengalies

ais?ment
Bengale,

l'Indo

1110 para?t

tr?s

originaire
par

du

exemple

la c?te d'Orixa; elle offro m?me une analogie frappante avec

en usage sur cette c?te."
l'alphabet qui est actuellement

de

"
Mr. Dowson adds, This is the most
the reading is (Seo Plato III, No. 1.)

correct version yot

Ye dharm? hetu-prabhav?, bet?n tesh?n Tath?gato

Tesh?ns

chayo

nirodha,

evam

v?di

fouud?

hyavadat

Mah?-Sramanah.

The second is inscribed upon an image of Buddha which was

Buddha is repre
obtained by Major Kittoe at Sherghatti, near Gaya.
sented seated on a kind of throne or chair holding a cup in his lap ;
and tho inscription is placed round tho back of tho chair immediately
within the outer border. Mr. Dowson says: "Tho legond, which is in
is very
characters apparently belonging to tho 10th or 11th century,
in
it
is
tho
versions
other
of
most
like
but
faulty
clear and distinct,
1 P.

345,

note.

/rom.Brambounaux.'-in,Jocra.
IntenplioK
Ti
Ef.
Irucnp/ion

>?r>
?ceng
?ffdQ^OO&?lP
TIS'
?J
rzu
60fy.^(y/><y?
cet,
ur>ns>\?>?pO'VP'7)L-'

Ske>rgKaJtb.
iCeddaA
lro/rv
front,
In?orif/iivK
frorn,
of
lent
S?uioLccrt'
o?u/
Inscription ^
Or-

^$V?tsr(&r^W7?*(T
?^^a^?jM^^'^P^

^3?t4i2}W^S??^

MINIATURE

CHAITYAS.

40

the orthography; the letter e of hetu is left out in both instances (see
Plato III. No. 2).
It differs from all the other versions in prefixing
tho sacred monosyllablo
om, but with this slight exception agrees
with

Csoma's

Sanskrit

version.

states

Kittoo

Major

"

that

this

formula

occurs on almost every image in this district, and in various types,

down to No. 2 of tho Allahabad column."1
Tho other version was discovered by Colonel Low at Kedali,
a stono

upon

engraved

slab

ancient brick building.

tho Asiatic

of

Society

under

lying

centro

tho

with

Bengal,2

tho

of

facsimilo was published

in modern

transcript

of an

ruins

in tho Journal of
characters,

aud a translation by Mr. Laidlay and B?bu Rajcndrahil.

The peculi
of
aro
this
version
two
that
which
differ
lines
additional
is,
added,
arity
from those found appended to tho formula by Csoma de K?r?s, (Seo
Plato III, No. 3.) Tho transcript and translation given by Mr.
Laidlay are :
Yo dharmm? hotu-prabhav?
Tesh?n

cha

yo

karmma

P?pmanochch?yato

tesh?m hetu tathagat?

ovam

nirodha

v?di

mah?-sramana
karma

janman?m

k?ranam

Jn?u?n na kriyato karmma karmma bh?vaua

"

AVhatcver

moral

ariso

actions

from

been declared by Tath?gata?What

thus set forth by tho great Sramana.
is the

causo

of transmigration.
not
to
is
action,
subject
A fow months
proviously,

no

Ho

l?yate.
causo

tho

cause,

of

them

has

is the chock to these actions, is

Vice promotes action, and action
who,

through

performs

knowledge,

its effects."
Mr.

in another

Laidlay,

paper

on

inscrip

tions from Singapore,3 had published a short inscription of one line,

which ho found to bo idontical with tho first of theso new lines, (Seo
Plato III, No. 0).
Tho reading published at tho time was :

penso)

[That] Karma
which

Upon
observations
aro

older

havo

como

passion,

Mr.
inscriptions
"
: Tho
characters

Dowson

sports

theso

thoso

under

k?rauam

in the hope of recom

(religious action originating

with

is tho

than

karma

jamnanah

llajonarmmayanikarmma

t(

my

employed
notice.

of

cause

tho

in any
Thoy

bear

of

has

transmigration."
written
tho

inscriptions
of tho other
a

great

following

from

Singaporo
versions
which

resemblance

to tho

Hala Kanara forms made known by Mr. Walter Elliot.

Mr. Laidlay
considers them to correspond very closely with tho alphabet of tho
1
2
3
VOL. XVI.

Beng. As.
vol. XVIII.,

Soc,

Ibid.
Ibid.

vo\ XVII.,

p. 71.

Jourii.

vol. XVI.,

p. 247.

p. 78.

MINIATURE

50

CHAITYAS.

fifth century, but several of the characters are identical with tho forms
dato therefore
found in the Guzerat plates of the second century?their
is probably between the second and fifth centuries of our era, unless it
can be supposed that the characters
employed at tho extremity of tho
wero
not
affected
by tho changes which wero
.Malayan peninsula
same
in
tho
characters
India.
That, like tbe alphabets
operating upon
of southern India, and the Tibetan and Bengali in later times, having
once

been

in a

adopted

particular

they

locality,

in a measuro

were

stereotyped, and only partially and slowly affected by the changes

going on in tho alphabet from which they wore borrowed.
"
The additional lines in this inscription fully confirm the state
ments of.Mr. Hodgson and Ratna Pal, that the two lines which Csoma
de K?r?s

with

found

to

the

formula

transcription

and

added

aro

not

connected

necessarily

it.
"As

regards

tho

translation

of

this

version,

I am

new lines:
obliged to dissent from Mr. Laidlay in respect of tho two
two versions have been given of the first, but wo must presume tho
later

to bo

the

and

revised

approved

It was

form.

unfortunate

per

haps that his pundit R?jendral?l should havo sought to olucidato and
explain them by tho dogmas of Hrahmanical philosophy, when their
true meaning ought to havo been looked for in the writings of Budd
histical philosophers.
considering tho additional
Upon attentively
camo
to
I
tho conclusion that tho
lines in the Kedah
inscription,
letters which stand separate as second and third in tho first lino, form in
in tho last
reality a compound consonant agreeing with tho first letter
lino ; and upon referring to tho other version of tho first line, I fouud
this conjecture to bo correct. It was clear thoreforo that tho word was
Tho reading I
neither pdpman nor Rajo, as read by Mr. Laidlay.
in
initial letter:
the
which
is
the
is
ajn?n?eh,
propose
only dilliculty
in the one-line inscription it looks very liko an r, but I think it
may bo taken for the tail of tho letter a, and that tho upper and
as obliterated.
distinguishing part of tho character may bo considered
In

tho second

inscription

it

suggest any other reading

Pialo III, No. 3):

is certainly

than a.

neither

Tho

r nor

p,

and

reading I propose

Yo dhannni? hetu-prabhav? tcsha| m] hetu[nj Tath?gato

Ycsh?n cha yo nirodha ova[in] v?di Mah??sraniana[h |
Ajn?n?eh chivato karma janmanam ka[r]ma k?ranam
Jn?n?n na kriyato karmma karmm?bh?v?na j?ynto.
ami of the one-line

inscription, (See Plate

III, No.

4):

A jnaniich chij'atc karmma janmanah karma k?ranam,

I cannot

is (Seo
tilia

the only difference

mandm,

genitivo

and

tho

latter

janmanah,

"Tho translation of tho two additional

is produced

of birth : action
action nothing
"As
in respect

or

(collected

from

gathered)

is not produced
is bom/

transcription,
regards
of tho first
two

the former reads jan

them being that

between

plural,

: action

differs
two

last

(karmma)
cause

is the

: in the absence of

from knowledge

the

singular.

genitive

lines is: 'Action

ignorance

tho above
and

?l

CIIAITYAS.

MINIATURE

from Mr.

only
been

Laidlay's
not
I have

words.

ablo to find tho lines in any of tho authorities to which I have referred;
and as tho translation differs considerably, it may be advisable to add
a few remarks in illustration.
The only uncertainty in the translation
is confined to tho last sentence, which I have read harm?bh?v? na
jayate, for the letter n ought to have been doubled as in jn?n?n na,
kriyate, to admit of tho construction I havo put upon the phrase.
This last sentence might also be translated as 'Action proceeds not
from

but

non-existence;'

it

is more

consonance

in

with

the

other

maxims of tho verso, and with the tenets of tho K?rmmika philosophy
'
to read tho words 'Karm?bh?v?V as a compound
in the
implying
of

absenco

to
and
action,'
supply
is not born/
requires.
doctrino
hero
enunciated

the

nominativo

which

tho

verb

'

na~jayate,
"Tho
tenets.
est
les
car

Tho

la choso

Laiita
qui

concepts?
les concepts

L'iguoranco
ont pour

in his Manual
generation
another
produces

is

of Buddhism,
ignorance,

abstract
a

is
with
Buddhist,
consistent
quito
*
: Quelle
cited
says
by Burnouf,
cause
ont
lieu aux
et quelle
concepts,
les concepts
existent.
;
existant,
(Avidyd)
cause
Mr.
l'ignorance.'1
Spence
Hardy,
as

Vistara,
donne
existant

third

quality,

'
says : Tho first term in this cycle of
is an

It

avidya.
merit

and

abstract

demerit,

and

consciousness;

abstraction,

quality

karma;
this

producing
which
karma
consciousness

is endowed with physical power, and produces body and mind, inwhich
is included all the particulars that in their aggregation form what is
a senticut

called

being.'2

de toutes les existences

et

lo non-savoir.'3

Burnouf

further

est YAvidya,

Mr.

Hodgson

says:

'Le

de

point

depart

qui signifie ? la fois le non?tro

defines

Karma,

act

as'any

sentient principle/4 Karma, according to Mr. Hardy,

and demerit: it is that which controls the
destiny

of

the

'includes merit
of all sentient

beings/'0

"I
cannot attempt to penetrate

teries

of Buddhistical
1

speculation,

Burnouf,
?ntrod., p. 4H0.
3 Manual
of Budhiani,
p. 302.
6
Journal Beug. As, Soc. v. 00.

further into the intricacies and mys

to prove

the correctness
2
Burnouf,
4
Burnouf,
6
Manual,

of

'iHV.

Introd.,p.
Introd.,
p. 445.

the

|?. 4?r>.

1? 2

trans

3IINIATURE

52

CHAITYAS.

lation of this passage, or to illustrate its meaning ; but if tho import of

it as above given be generally correct, it supports Mr. Hodgson in the
'
tho
Respecting
interpretation he put upon the dogma Yo dharm?.'
'
word dharma, ho says: The substratum of all form and quality in tho
versatile

tho

universe,
existences

and

stances,

"'Of

tho

literal

all

things

of dharma.n

wise

tho

Thus

tho

sentient

existence

groat
cessation

Sramana
of

all

versatilo

hath

likewise

of

their

pro

as

things,'?or,

con

'Tho cause or causes of all

hath explained.
the Tathagata
or causes
of tho
tho
cause,
explained
in this sonso,
the dogma
Taking
word,

existence.'2

such

all

of

extinction

in tho

ho

The great Sramana hath like

strued with tho help of the Commentators,

The

cause

tho

cause;

explained.

of

interpreting dharm?,

to bo: ?

dogma

from

proceeding
causo

tho

declared

of

rendering

cession hath tho Tathagata

mundane
sub
entity,
all things.?Such
in a word,

versatile

and moral:

physical

is the general meaning

considers

of

snstainer

lines in tho Singapore formula

we may suppose that the additional
were added by some follower of the Karmmika sect of philosophy,
to make
been

that

known
but

declared,

which

'cause/

it does

which

not

itself

tho dogma
enunciate.

states

to

havo

"The truth probably is, that tho dogma originally consisted of two
linos only, and that these wero impressed by tho priests upon tho
minds

of

their

possessed

followers

containing

great

of which

mystery,

of

the meaning

this mystical

couplet,

to

and

they

should be made

If so, it was natural that attempts

the key.

to unravel

as

interpret

it for

Taken up in a philosophical
the benefit of the votaries of Buddha.
as implying 'all things,'
considered
be
dharm?
the
word
might
spirit,
and the dogma would then bo understood as referring to tho mystery of
In such

existence.

case

the

exponent

would

seek

to make

known

tho

' cause* which is hinted

at, and would add that which his philosophy
to
the
bo
If, on
'cause,' as in the Kcdah Inscription.
taught him
was
a
and
in
examined
the
the othor hand,
religious
practical
dogma
then be interpreted as 'moral actions,' and tho
light, dharma would
involved

mystery

directions,
salvation.
directions
that end,
similar to
Ratiia

would

bo

understood

as

consisting

of

soino

moral

of tho faith of. Buddha might obtain

by which tho adhorents
Tho religious teacher would thon attompt to givo such
as his religion inculcated, as tho means of accomplishing
and the result would bo a short addition to tho dogma,
that found by Csoma de K?r?s, and quoted from memory by

Pal.

> Journal
As. Soc,
IV, 214.
Bcng.
? Ib. 211.?This
lins been accepted by Csoma
Interpretation
vol. xx, p. 53.
Dulvn.
See Asiatic Researches,
analysis of the

do K?r?s,

in his

MINIATURE CHAPITAS.
"

One

othor

is

point

different

avadat,

forms,

The

observation.

various

versions

in respect of tho verb, which

of the dogma differ chiefly

four

of

worthy

OU

uvacha,

and

aha,

is found in
Tho

pr?ha.

lines,

which are in the common sloka or anushtubh metro of sixteen syl

lables, are complete without tho verb, and the metre is destroyed by
its introduction ; heneo it is impossible not to suspect that the verb
has been added subsequently to the composition of tho verso.
If the
first lino bo read
'
Ye dharma hetu-prabhav? hctun tesh?n Tath?gatah/
somo

then
tho

verb

must

bo

case,

and

accusativo

as

understood
tho

'

verb

tho word
in
helun
governing
'
declared
been
has
accordingly

supplied, probably in consequence of tho word v?di, of similar import,

in tho second lino. But if tho word 'causo' was originally
in the
caso

nominativo

or

(hetuh

and

hetus),

without

verb,

tho

noun

will

naturally take tho nominativo caso, and tho lino will have a different
moaning, and signify 'Of all sentient existenco [or 'of all moral
actions'] proceeding from cause, tho Tathagata (Adi Buddha) is tho
In this form tho dogma has frequently been met with by Mr.
causo.'
has

who

Hodgson,

Tho

necessary.1
tho various

forms

tho point

settle

redundancy
in which

no

that

opinion
of tho

complementary
the metre,
regards

as

verb

it appears
in tho
inscriptions,
in favour
of his view."

conclusively

Note.?In

acumen

critical

tho

he

and

displays,

is

verb
and

seem

to Mr. Dowson

making my acknowledgments

and

research,

his

stated

concurring

to

for his

generally

in his opinions, I must make an exception to the date he is disposed

to givo to tho Inscription from Kcdah.
The whole character and
with
tho
of
tho
forms of individual letters,
aspect
Inscription, together
so manifestly refer to tho period when the
Dcvanagari was changing
into tho rounded forms of tho Telugu and Tamil, that it
evidently
could

not

bo earlier

than

tho

exist

in Java

in the

fifth

date

when

thoso

changes

wero

taking

as Buddhism,
according to Fa Ilian, did not

placo in India: moreover,

and

century,

as

no

inlorcnco

is mado

to

its

tho Kcdah Inscription could not date

existenco in tho Archipelago,
before tho fifth century; but it is probably as late as the ninth or
tenth. The preservation of a few L?th letters in it would only provo
that the progress in tho alteration of form was not so rapid at Kedah
as

of

in tho peninsula
1 Journal

Beug.

As.

India.

Soc,

IV, 211

lir

,,

1
W.

; Illustrations

of Buddhism,

H.

f.
Sykes.

pp.

150,

If?.i.